


Can't See the Stars for the Sky

by SoldierThirstClass (HardNoctLife)



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Cussing, Drinking, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feelings, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Gold Saucer (Compilation of FFVII), Light Angst, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Smoking, Turks (Compilation of FFVII), Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:21:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28069983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HardNoctLife/pseuds/SoldierThirstClass
Summary: Rude set his phone down, removing his sunglasses so Reno could get the full effect of his eyebrow raise.“It’s just a vacation.”“Turks don’t get vacations. That’s reserved for suits and higher-ups. This is punishment for somethin', plain and simple.”--A story in which Rude is the only one able to get to the bottom of Reno's problem.
Relationships: Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 47





	Can't See the Stars for the Sky

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for [Midgar Blues: Turks Zine.](https://twitter.com/TurksZine)

Reno was a living, breathing ‘don’t mess with me’ sign, arms and legs crossed, eyes burning holes in the table. Rude sat across from him in the empty lounge, scrolling through his phone while doing his best to ignore his partner’s near palpable disapproval.

“This shit blows,” Reno finally grumbled.

Fifteen minutes of pouting between the moment they had received Tseng’s email and Reno’s outburst. It had to be a new record. Rude hadn’t seen Reno this sullen since ShinRa HR had made annual sensitivity training a Thing, and Tseng made sure after the first year’s disaster that they all were conveniently otherwise occupied whenever it rolled around in the years that followed.

Rude set his phone down, removing his sunglasses so Reno could get the full effect of his eyebrow raise.

“It’s just a vacation.”

“Turks don’t _get_ vacations. That’s reserved for suits and higher-ups.”

 _Suits_. Pencil pushers and email readers, the people who sat behind desks all day and never had to worry about getting a bullet in the back.

 _Must be nice_ , Rude mused. Not that he regretted joining the Turks, but he hadn’t had an honest-to-gods vacation in...well, _ever_.

“Maybe just try to enjoy it.”

Reno was on his feet and pacing the moment Rude shrugged off his concern. There wasn’t much Reno could take sitting down other than a cold beer or the occasional cigarette, but Rude tolerated his antics all the same. Besides, it wasn’t like he had much of a choice. They were partners, from now until ‘death do us part.’

Rude tracked him with his eyes—back and forth, back and forth—until he was nearly dizzy from it. Much to his relief, Reno finally came to a stop, slapping his hands on the table to emphasize his point.

“This is punishment for somethin’, plain and simple.” Reno was adamant.

“Did you do something that _warrants_ punishment?”

The question was spoken levelly, and Rude knew without turning around that Tseng was standing in the doorway, watching them with barely concealed amusement.

“I sure as hell didn’t!” Reno hesitated, gesturing vaguely. “Not that I _know_ of, anyway. C’mon boss, can’t you just, I dunno, send us on a mission somewhere far, far away instead? Wutai is nice this time of year.”

“The president was clear: _all_ employees must use their paid leave before the fiscal year ends, myself included,” Tseng explained, and Rude finally rotated in his chair to face him. “Most people would jump at the chance to take an all-expenses-paid vacation.”

Tseng adjusted his tie (more from habit than necessity) while Reno rolled his eyes so far into the back of his head that only the whites showed. “Yeah, maybe to someplace like Costa del Sol, but not Gold Saucer. That’s like ordering orange juice at a bar.”

“There’s the battle arena,” Tseng pointed out.

“You’re missing the point, boss.” Reno flopped back into his chair, kicking his feet up on the table with a groan. Rude hid a smile when he saw Tseng’s eyes squint in disapproval at his partner’s blatant disregard for decorum. “We’re not meant for relaxing. We’re good for two things, and two things only.”

“Do tell,” deadpanned Tseng as he meandered into the room and took the seat beside Rude, folding his hands in front of him.

Reno leaned forward to press one finger to the table. “Killing—” he tapped a second finger, “—and _more_ killing.”

Rude grunted, sliding his sunglasses back on.

Reno was grinning now, apparently enjoying the attention. “Ya see, there’s a subtle difference. One is just normal, run-of-the-mill, shoot-em-up style killing, and then the other one’s _more_. That seedy stuff that only _we_ can do. How we earn the big bucks.”

If he was expecting Tseng to agree with him, he was going to be sorely disappointed.

“Who are we killing?”

A head of blonde hair poked through the open door, followed by a pair of bright blue eyes that shimmered with false innocence. Elena may have looked like the girl-next-door, but she was a Turk all the same, and the only ones she had fooled into thinking she was in need of protection were the poor schmucks who underestimated her.

“No one,” Tseng declared to the tone of Reno’s validated hum. “The only thing we are doing is going on vacation,” he glared pointedly at Reno, “and _enjoying_ it the best we can. Is that clear?”

Reno slid his feet off the table, smirking. “Crystal.”

* * *

When the day came for their scheduled R&R, the Turks joined the members of the ShinRa Research and Development department on a company airship from Midgar to Corel, the dismally small tent encampment that sat overshadowed by a mountain of the same name. A mining town in its heyday, the town’s economic lifeline now consisted of the cable car system that transported eager tourists and vacationers to Gold Saucer.

It was a strange sight when they arrived: a sea of suits marching between cloth tents and rusted metal shacks that leaned precariously every which way, their weathered exteriors matching the faces of their wary tenants. Theirs were the faces of those who bore the weight of their parents’ sins with no hope for the future. Rude recognized the expression from seeing it on Midgar slum dwellers, and even in his own mirror, many, many years ago.

Polished leather shoes kicked up gravel and dirt as countless people shuffled through the town in an undulating line, a human millipede of sleek black fabric that was unwilling to make even casual eye contact with the villagers who called Corel home. Rude hung back and watched the deathless funeral procession, somber and detached as he waited for his co-workers.

“We’re on vacation!” he heard Elena protest, no doubt in response to something Reno had said. Rude glanced over his shoulder, surprised to see both of them approaching in civilian clothes that they hadn’t been wearing on the airship.

Elena was in jeans and a black ShinRa t-shirt with a Moogle-shaped knapsack thrown over one shoulder, and there was no doubt in Rude’s mind that she would blend in with all the other tourists, never drawing attention to the fact that she was a Turk. Adaptability was her strength.

Then, there was Reno.

“What are you wearing?” Rude peered over the rim of his sunglasses and immediately regretted it, the neon pink of Reno’s unbuttoned shirt combined with his pale chest bright to the point of blinding him. His black skinny jeans were ripped at the knees, and Rude couldn’t help but feel the entire look had been carefully constructed to piss someone off. Probably Tseng, if he had to guess.

“Like she said, we’re on vacation,” Reno drawled, shooting Elena a knowing look.

“I don’t know you,” she groaned.

The three of them walked in a loosely formed line, adopting a leisurely pace, and Reno spared a moment from bickering with Elena to nod at an old man that they saw bent over an old car, tinkering with what was left of the clunker’s engine.

“Yo, gramps, you got a light?” Reno asked, pulling a cigarette out of his shirt pocket.

The man lifted his head, a scraggly white beard tinged black with the same oil and grease that stained his overalls, but before he had a chance to answer, Tseng mysteriously materialized, snatching the cigarette from Reno’s mouth and pocketing it. He, like Rude, had opted to wear his standard-issue suit and looked less than pleased by Reno’s choice of—well, _everything_.

“Buzzkill,” Reno huffed, shoving hands into his back pockets.

“We may be on vacation, but you are still on company time. Act accordingly, please.”

Tseng swept onward without slowing, and Reno kicked a wayward can on the side of the path, sending it flying into a heap of mangled metal that had yet to be repurposed by the townsfolk.

“Tch. See? I knew this was punishment.” Reno’s voice carried up and over, towards the cable car platform that was now in view. A few ShinRa stragglers dared to glance back at him, giving them an unobstructed view of his vulpine smirk.

Reno never broke eye contact, complaining loudly. “This shit blows.”

There was a hardness to Reno’s voice that wasn’t there before—a cynicism Rude didn’t entirely understand. Something told him that Reno’s mood wasn’t just a result of being forced to go on vacation.

He would bide his time until the moment was right.

* * *

Their arrival was marked with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ as the cable car emerged from a dark tunnel that dumped them at Gold Saucer’s main entrance. Flashing lights blinded them all as they disembarked before being assaulted by a bouncy tune sure to become an ear-worm they would hear in their sleep for days to come.

The other ShinRa employees got off before the Turks, men and women huddling together with their mouths hanging slack like children as they surveyed the neon-colored signs championing Gold Saucer’s attractions. A woman with a perfect smile and a sleek gold dress with feathers in her hair ( _is she supposed to be a chocobo?_ Rude wondered) ushered them towards the yawning mouth of an oversized moogle, which she explained would take them to the amusement park’s main attractions.

“...in Wonder Square you will find an assortment of arcade-style games that can be played using GP…”

Rude half-listened as he tilted his head up to study the moogle that would swallow their group. Just inside his periphery, Reno stood with his hands on his hips, the only person seemingly unfazed by the glitz and glam.

“Unimpressed?” Rude gave Reno his full attention as Elena and Tseng joined the tail end of the group, disappearing into the moogle’s mouth.

Reno’s eyes cut over as he smiled insincerely. “Only one thing does it for me, partner. You know that.” His laugh sounded dull in comparison to the music that echoed around them. When he sauntered into the darkness, Rude followed without hesitation.

* * *

They heard a goosebump-inducing shriek as they entered Gold Saucer’s hotel lobby. Part of the Ghost Square, the hotel doubled as a haunted house, and an animatronic body dangling from a rope had apparently taken an unsuspecting woman at the front of their group by surprise. Her male colleagues proceeded to tease her mercilessly while the department director confirmed their reservation.

Tseng and Elena waited just inside the door, watching the events unfold with blank stares, while Reno perched on the edge of a couch beside a decorative skeleton posed to look like it was reading a newspaper.

“Cheery,” Reno commented, gaze panning across the room.

The lobby was purposely dark and dusty, with spiderwebs in the corners that could have been real or fake, and faded photographs of nameless patrons framed along its walls. Somewhere, from another room, or maybe a hidden speaker, emitted a low moan, the kind you would hear in B-rated horror films.

Cheery, indeed.

Tseng cleared his throat to draw their attention from where the department director was currently handing out room keys. “We will be here through the weekend. Anything you purchase will go on the company’s tab—”

“Anything?” Reno interjected with a shit-eating grin.

Tseng either didn’t have the energy to be annoyed, or he hid it very well. Rude guessed the latter. “Yes, anything. However, keep in mind that… _exorbitant_ expenses will need to be validated with receipts, so please show some restraint.”

“Yes, sir,” Rude and Elena responded in perfect unison, but Reno had already moved on from the question, recognizing that his flimsy attempt to get under Tseng’s skin had failed.

Abruptly, Reno pointed to the newspaper in the skeleton’s hands. “Ooh, look guys, we made it into the paper! How’s it feel to be famous?”

Rude leaned over to read the headline he was gesturing to, dated from several weeks ago, and even Elena and Tseng came closer, curiosity getting the better of them.

_TERRORIST GROUP DROPS SECTOR 7 PLATE IN MIDGAR_

There was a beat of quiet that was interrupted by a disembodied voice floating towards them from the welcome desk.

“Alright ghosts and ghouls, please enjoy your stay! And remember, have a _killer_ time at Gold Saucer—or else!” A sinister laugh washed over the group of ShinRa employees as Reno hopped to his feet with a flourish, rubbing his hands together.

“Alright, who’s ready to get this _vacation_ started?”

* * *

In the comfort of their shared hotel room, Reno dropped his act, staring up at the ceiling in the same manner he had at the table of their lounge when they first received the news.

Rude studied him, his red hair splayed across black sheets, arms and legs akimbo on the bed Reno had claimed. When Reno was silent, Rude knew something was really eating him. By extension, Rude also knew he would have to phrase his questions carefully or risk making his partner’s foul mood a permanent fixture for the weekend.

Sinking onto the edge of the unoccupied bed, Rude removed his shades, holding them loosely in his hands as he clasped them between his knees.

He’d start slow and easy. Something comfortable.

“Wanna grab a drink?”

Reno didn’t bother to glance over. “Do they even have a bar here?”

“One way to find out.”

“Nah, I’ll pass.”

 _Hmm_. _Two can play that game._

Rude slid his shades back on, and the bed creaked as he rose to his feet.

“Suit yourself.”

“You’re going out?” Reno sat up half-way, incredulous, and Rude made sure to ignore him completely as he headed for the door. “What, gonna play some arcade games with the kiddos?”

“Maybe.”

“ _Alone_?”

Turning the doorknob, Rude stepped into the hall.

“Hey!” Reno called after him, but he didn’t wait. In fact, he might have picked up his pace instead. By the time he hit the stairs, there was the thudding of familiar footsteps behind him.

* * *

Wonder Square was exactly what the tour guide said it was. It had every game they could imagine and more. When Reno and Rude arrived, they took in the sight of kids running to and from the different arcade games and listened to their screams of delight. Among the flashing lights and pre-pubescent clientele, they stood out like behemoths on a chocobo farm.

“Pick something.”

Reno cocked an eyebrow, questioning his seriousness. Rude held his gaze to assure him that he wasn’t joking.

“Whatever you say, pal.”

They wandered through the first room, looking for a game that wasn’t already occupied while dodging the ‘helpful’ attendants who would immediately flock to anyone who made eye-contact.

“Are you looking for anything in particular?” “Would you like to trade your GP for prizes?” “Do you have any questions about Gold Saucer?”

_No, no, and again, no._

They glimpsed their first group of adults when they reached the third game room. Judging by their black suits, they were ShinRa employees who had also decided to get a jump on their vacations. Two of the men were shooting enthusiastically at enemies on the screen in front of them, while the others stood behind them, cheering them on.

Reno came to a halt in the doorway, and Rude realized that he was watching them.

“Oh, oh, there! Hurry and shoot!”

“Oh shit, I’m going to die!”

“Come on, kill the bastard!”

The sound of gunfire and peals of laughter pelted Reno and Rude, a jarring cacophony. Someone squealed as dramatic blood splatter covered the screen, ‘GAME OVER’ flashing in heavy block letters.

“Aww, man!”

It may have been his imagination, but Rude thought he saw Reno shudder.

“What about that moogle game we saw in the other room?” Rude asked, only half-joking. “Looked fun.”

Reno shrugged, finally tearing his eyes away. “Sure. Whatever floats your boat.”

But Reno didn’t move, his hollow-eyed stare still trained on the men as they reloaded the game with new players, staccato gunfire starting anew.

A stone settled in the pit of Rude’s stomach.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Tugging at Reno’s arm, he dragged him towards the exit.

* * *

“Those games are rigged, you know,” Reno muttered as they stood in the middle of Gold Saucer’s central hub, surveying their other options for entertainment.

Rude tucked the moogle plushie under his arm that he had won from the UFO catcher on his umpteenth try.

“Probably.”

He knew that Reno was itching for a fight, could see it in the way his fingers twitched and his eyes darted to every person they passed—but Rude was determined not to give him what he wanted.

Part of him hoped Reno would take the hint and open up, sparing him the trouble of digging for the truth. But life was rarely that easy, and even less so for them.

“Where to next?” Rude prompted.

“Eh. Might just head back to the room and call it a night.”

_No dice._

“One more.”

Despite Reno’s groan of protest, he started walking.

* * *

“Isn’t this for couples?” Reno stared at the gondola skeptically. “If you wanted to go on a date, you should’ve just said so,” he teased.

“You got me,” Rude replied in monotone as he paid their GP to the woman at the ticket booth. She beamed at them, completely unfazed by the fact that they were the only ones riding the attraction.

“Aww, you shouldn’t have.”

When Reno clapped him on the back, Rude shrugged noncommittally. He wondered if Reno would change his tune by the end of the ride, but tried not to think too hard about it.

_One thing at a time._

Climbing into the cabin, Rude took a seat on a long bench to one side of the car while Reno plopped onto the other opposite him. They watched through the ride’s rounded windows as the platform grew smaller, the gondola lurching into motion and taking them up, high above Gold Saucer.

Now that Reno couldn’t run or hide, Rude seized his moment.

“What’s eating you?”

“Huh?” Reno startled, surprise quickly fading into suspicion.

Placing his arms across the back of the bench, Rude spread his legs wide in the hopes that it would be interpreted as unthreatening.

“You’re angry.”

“Pfft, you’re imagining things.”

But he didn’t imagine Reno avoiding his gaze or the way he crossed his arms and legs, eyebrows drawing together as he did so.

“You don’t have to lie to me.”

Reno sat forward, eyes flashing. “There’s _nothing_ to say.”

His actions spoke otherwise though, and Rude waited. He could see Reno’s walls starting to crumble, the furrow between his brow smoothing as he tossed his head, ponytail whipping over one shoulder. Just a little more, and he would break.

Reno uncrossed and recrossed his legs, jaw working in the silence.

“I hate this,” he finally breathed, exhaling loudly.

“Yeah, so you’ve said.”

“No, I mean—” Reno slumped down. “ _—everything_ , not just this stupid vacation.”

Rude studied him more closely then, trying to remain calm even as his heart began to race. Although he didn’t completely understand why, Reno’s words made him nervous. There was still something he wasn’t saying.

“Why?”

“Ha!” Reno’s laugh was mirthless, and he waved a hand. “That’s the million gil question, partner. I’d tell you if I knew.”

 _Would you_? He kept the thought to himself.

They were treading into murky waters, and Rude didn’t want to ask him the real question on his mind, lest it give Reno dangerous ideas.

“Why not say something to the boss?” he asked instead.

Reno scowled. “Like what? ‘Oh, hey boss, not really feeling the whole Turks thing lately, think I can fuck off for a bit?’ Yeah, I’m sure he’d be thrilled.”

Keeping his voice level, Rude scooted to the edge of the bench, resting his forearms on his thighs. “You... want to leave the Turks?”

“No, ‘course not!” he scoffed, then hesitated, eyes shifting back and forth like those of a wild animal that had been backed into a corner. Any moment now, and he would lash out. When it came down to fight or flight instinct, Reno usually chose the former.

Rude wanted to take what his partner was saying at face value, but that stone in his stomach was growing heavier, telling him this was a lot more serious than he first thought.

“You know what happens to people who try to leave.” Emotion slipped into Rude’s tone, the words spoken low and tight.

“I’m not leaving,” Reno snarled, and he got up, turning his back to Rude so he could glare out the window.

Rude could see his face reflected in the glass, transposed over the dazzling sights of Gold Saucer below and the fireworks display that neither one of them were watching. There was a pain in Reno’s expression that he no longer hid, assuming wrongly that Rude couldn’t see it.

Rude strained to listen for Reno’s sigh, or his growl, or even his sardonic laugh, but he heard nothing save for the inescapable, cheerful music that played on a loop, seemingly louder than before.

Ever so slowly, Reno pressed his forehead against the window, eyelids fluttering shut.

“I can’t get it out of my head… the screams.”

It was a punch to the gut. Rude felt his throat constrict, unable to look anywhere but the space between Reno’s bunched shoulders.

“Every time I close my damn eyes, I…” He trailed off, shaking his head as if to dispel the memory. “What a fucking joke. As if a _vacation_ could fix it.”

The silence stretched, a chasm opening between them, and Rude knew there were no words strong enough to bridge the gap.

The gondola ride came to an end, the car gliding back onto the platform.

Reno was gone before the voice recording could tell them to gather their belongings and watch their step.

“Enjoy the rest of your stay at Gold Saucer!”

* * *

The hallways of the hotel were quiet except for the occasional ghastly moan and the gentle slap of shoes on the carpet.

 _One hour_ , he had decided. That should have been more than enough time for Reno to blow off some steam before shimmying back into their room with that cocksure smile of his, blabbering something along the lines of ‘I dunno what came over me,’ before bantering back and forth like usual and forgetting anything ever happened.

Now, several hours later, Rude was on the verge of panic, the knowledge that Reno could have taken the cable car back to Corel and hitched a ride to gods-knew-where without anyone noticing, spurring him to search high and low for his missing partner.

He was approaching the lobby’s front desk when he saw the sign, its letters worn and barely readable where it was affixed to the wall: ‘Restaurant & Bar’ with an arrow pointing to a thick black curtain. He allowed himself to feel hopeful as he stepped around it, finding himself in a dimly lit room with a smattering of round tables and a long bar top with several stools.

Sitting on one of the stools was Reno, draped forward over the counter with a lit cigarette in one hand and an empty whiskey glass in the other. He was the only one at the bar, and the lightbulb from the lamp above set his red hair ablaze.

The sight made something squeeze in Rude’s chest, relief coursing through him. He wandered over and pulled up a chair, the stool’s legs scraping the hardwood floor.

“Guess they have a bar.” Rude took a lighter from his pocket, and Reno handed him a cigarette wordlessly.

He took his time lighting it, rolling it between his lips before inhaling the pungent taste of tobacco, then exhaling the smoke and watching it curl, caressing Reno’s body with its tendrils.

For a moment, he envied the smoke.

“I thought you left,” Rude admitted.

“Where would I go?” Reno’s eyes slid open, catlike and half-lidded. Rude had the fleeting thought that he could reach over and run his fingers through that fiery hair, and he might even purr.

He took another drag of his cigarette.

“Nowhere they wouldn’t find you.” He didn’t include himself in the statement, because he liked to think that he was different. There was nowhere Reno could go that he wouldn’t follow, he knew that all too well.

“Exactly.” Reno pressed himself up, yawning. “Thought you’d be asleep by now.” He propped his head in one hand, studying Rude.

“Couldn’t sleep without you.” It could have been a joke, but it wasn’t. Rude was impressed that he cared too much to lie.

Reno’s grin was slow and sweet as honey. “That’s the gayest shit I’ve ever heard.” Reaching over, he snatched Rude’s cigarette from his mouth, making a show of sliding it into his and tonguing over the end of it. “You in love with me, partner?”

That was the moment Rude became aware of every minute detail he hadn’t previously: how their legs brushed together, the fact that their elbows were a hand’s width apart, how kissable Reno’s lips looked in the lamplight, the eyes that scanned him from head-to-toe with a hunger that he knew, but didn’t allow himself to feel.

 _It’s just the alcohol_ , Rude told himself as Reno flicked ash from his cigarette onto the countertop, lips pursing invitingly. _He’s messing with me_ , he chided, when Reno’s lithe fingers wrapped around his tie and pulled him closer. _This doesn’t mean anything_ , he reaffirmed, when their mouths finally met, and an alcohol-soaked tongue slipped into his mouth, bittersweet.

“Partners until the end, huh, Rude?” Reno whispered against his mouth.

When Rude didn’t respond, Reno pulled back, smothering his dying cigarette into his whiskey glass.

“Cat got your tongue?”

Through the bravado and smoke, Rude could see Reno’s insecurities laid bare. He still didn’t have the words that would take away the pain. And he couldn’t reassure him that everything would be all right, not when he knew it very well wouldn’t—but maybe he didn’t have to.

Maybe just being together was enough.

Lifting a hand to Reno’s face, Rude had the satisfaction of watching his eyes go wide as he kissed him again. Within a heartbeat, he turned into a rag doll against Rude’s chest, boneless save for his tongue, which was firm against Rude’s teeth.

Rude let him have his moment. Then, as gently as he could, he placed a hand on Reno’s shoulder and pushed him away, holding him at arm's length.

Instantly, his body became concrete again, muscles and eyes hardening in dismay. “Yo, what the hell?”

“Let’s get out of here,” Rude murmured, belatedly realizing how the proposition sounded, though Reno didn’t seem to mind.

“Sure thing.” Deft fingers slid from Rude’s sternum to his belt buckle as Reno winked, sliding off his stool. “Didn’t take you for _that_ kinda guy, but I’m down for whatever.’”

Rude didn’t bother correcting him, leading him out of the lonely bar and through the lobby towards the door.

“Hey, Rude, our room is _that_ way—”

But he didn’t stop. He knew Reno would follow just like Rude would follow him—anywhere and nowhere.

* * *

It was quiet— _finally_.

No laughter, no music, no forced levity or distractions. Just the two of them, and the sleeping town of Corel somewhere in the shadows beyond their reach.

Reno had protested the surprise excursion out of Gold Saucer, complaining all the way up until the moment Rude had dragged him onto the cable car’s roof; it was cold and firm against their backs, though their bodies and the night air were warm.

Rude had taken off his sunglasses to better see the stars that stretched from one corner of the sky to the other.

“There’s so many of them,” Reno spoke into the dark. “I always forget they exist until we get out of the city.”

“Me too. The plate and the lights make them hard to see.”

“Yeah.” The pause that followed Reno’s agreement was heavy, weighed down by all of the things unsaid between them.

“It’s nice to remember there are still good things out there.” Rude laced his hands behind his head, exhaustion tugging at the corners of his eyes and closing them. “Can’t see the forest for the trees—something like that.”

“Yeah,” Reno said softer now, chuckling. “Something like that.”

Rude hummed as Reno wriggled up against him with a sigh.

“Hey, Rude?”

“Mm?” He squinted one eye open in time to see a shooting star streak across the heavens before letting it focus on Reno’s face, outlined in starlight.

“Thanks.”

There were a lot of things Rude could have said.

_You’re welcome._

_No problem._

_Don’t mention it._

_What are partners for?_

_I love you, too._

Rude closed his eyes, smiling.


End file.
